Pirana and Pirana II...1971-72...underrated and semi-legendary prog-rock band from Sydney

click here for more information

Critics have pigeonholed Pirana as mere Santana clones, and while comparisons are understandable and the influence of Santana is obvious, this arguably did the group a considerable disservice. Its dynamic and rhythmic performance at the definitive Sunbury music festival in 1972 drew inevitable comparisons to the Latin-rock champions of Woodstock, due in no small measure to their superb performance of Santana's "Soul Sacrifice". But there was much more to Pirana than that facile categorization allows.

Beyond that, we can hear examples of fine, melodic songwriting -- mainly from keyboardist Stan White on the first album, but consummately taken over by guitarist and vocalist Tony Hamilton on the second -- that displays a diversity of influences while still keeping the band's innate individuality. 

For a start, Tony Hamilton's guitar was never less than wonderful. He sang commandingly, with soul, atop Jim Yonge's fluid drumming, supported by the anchorage of Graeme Thompson's throbbing bass. Keyboards were vital to the Pirana sound, and Stan White and his successor, Keith Greig, provided rich Hammond organ reinforcement for the overall feel of the band.

In Pirana, members came and went, but it is essentially the core band comprising Duke-Yonge, Thompson, Hamilton and Greig (who replaced Stan White after the first LP), who made the records and sustained the bulk of the band's performing tenure, and must be most remembered as the definitive entity.

Pirana's first recordings were as the backing group for Greg Quill's 1970 solo album Fleetwood Plain. They signed to Harvest in 1971 and issued two singles. Here It Comes Again (May) was reputedly the first local single released in stereo, and can still be found on Raven's Golden Miles compilation CD.

click here for more information

In concert they were always regarded as a top-drawer act; they went down a storm at the inaugural Sunbury rock festival, and their live version of Santana's "Soul Sacrifice" earned them a track on the Sunbury '72 album. EMI issued their second LP Pirana II in November 1972, by which time Richard McEwan had replaced Hamilton on guitar. Andrew James replaced Greig in 1973 and Phil Hitchcock replaced Graeme Thompson on bass in 1974. The band continued to work on the dance and pub circuit, but they didn't record again, and they eventually broke up in late 1975.

(from Original article by Paul Culnane on Milesago)

Sydney 1970-75
Stan White (keyboards) 1970-1971
Keith Greig (keyboards) 1971-72
Jim Duke-Yonge (drums) 1970-1973
Tony Hamilton (guitar) 1970-75
Graeme Thompson (bass) 1970-75
Phil Hitchcock (bass) 1974
Andrew McCue (keyboards, flute) 1973
Richard McEwan (guitar, vocals) 1972
Paul Spetter (drums) 1973

Visit my other music blogs here:

Soundtrack Heaven

The Aussie Music Blog

The Vintage Music Blog

The Jazz Music Blog

This Jukebox Rocks

The Blues and Roots Music Blog

Martin's Music Machine

Twitter @islandmanrocks

Tully..underground/progressive rock..3 albums...self titled 1970, Loving is Hard 1972 and Live in Sydney

click here for more information

alternate link

Tully formed in Sydney in late 1968, and along with Tamam Shud they were the doyens of the Sydney underground/progressive scene in the late 60's and early '70s. Their lyrical and expansive music and their interest in mysticism and esoteric philosophy was at some remove from the earthy blues/boogie ethos of contemporaries like The Aztecs, but they built up a strong following on the Sydney underground scene and the Melbourne concert circuit. Tully's members were all highly accomplished multi-instrumentalists, with years of experience behind them, and this musical breadth quickly earned them a reputation as one of the most adventurous and polished concert bands of the period.

They originally signed with EMI and their excellent self-titled debut LP was released on the Columbia label in July 1970; it charted well, spending eight weeks in the Top 40 and peaking at #8. Around this time Michael Carlos became the proud owner of one of the first Moog synthesisers to be brought into Australia, and they became the first local band to use one in live performance. Such was the public profile of Dr Bob's new instrument (thanks to The Beatles, the Beach Boys and Walter Carlos) that Tully's concerts were co-billed as "Tully and The Moog".

In 1971 Tully moved to EMI's new progressive label Harvest, and released their only single, the spiritually inspired Krishna Came / Lord Baba which came out in May. This was followed in June by their second LP Sea Of Joy, the soundtrack to the surf film of the same name by Paul Witzig, who had also previously worked with Tamam Shud. The band had stockpiled enough material prior to the split for EMI to compile a third and final LP which was released in 1972 as the album Loving Is Hard.

click here for more information

alternate link

click here for more information

alternate link

non album live TV program Tully and Wendy Saddington on Fusions 1969
(alternate link)

Colin Campbell (guitar) 1971-72 
Michael Carlos (keyboards)
Graham Conlan (bass) 1969
Richard Lockwood (flute/sax/clarinet/piano) 1968-72 
John Blake (bass) 1968-69
Ken Firth (bass) 1970-72
Shayna (Karlin) Stewart (vocals) 1971-72
Robert Taylor (drums) 1968-70

text courtesy of Milesago

Visit my other music blogs here:

Soundtrack Heaven

The Aussie Music Blog

The Vintage Music Blog

The Jazz Music Blog

This Jukebox Rocks

The Blues and Roots Music Blog

Martin's Music Machine

Twitter @islandmanrocks

The Charade...lost gem of an album from Australian vocal group from the late 1960's

A regular reader and contributor of this blog was kind enough to share this rare gem of an album, and it's been sitting on my hard drive for some time, almost forgotten. Unfortunately, I don't have much information on the group themselves, but if anyone out there knows any other details I would be more than appreciative.

The Charade released this one album on EMI back in 1969. They were a vocal group consisting of the following personnel: DAVID COOPER gtr vcls, BRIAN O'TOOLE gtr vcls, SIOBHAN SHEPPARD vcls. The album was produced by Gus McNeil, and arranged by The Charades and Gus McNeil. It was engineered by David Woodley-Page and John Taylor.

Several of the tracks on the album were written by Paul Williams/Roger Nichols, 3 of which were from Paul Williams' early band The Holy Mackerel. There are also covers of "Cinderella Rockefella", "Classical Gas", "Windy" and Gene Clarke's "Train Leaves Here This Morning". The vocals and instrumentation of the group are nothing short of superb, and the production of the album is as good as anything similar from the era. 

Their sound is akin to the likes of The Seekers, Peter, Paul and Mary and The Mamas and The Papas. 

1.BITTER HONEY
2.THE LADY IS WAITING
3.CINDERELLA ROCKFELLA
4.L.A.BREAKDOWN
5.TO PUT UP WITH YOU
6.WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE
7.CLASSICAL GAS
8.PEACE OF MIND
9.TRAIN LEAVES HERE THIS MORNING
10.HAND-ME-DOWN MAN
11.CYCLES
12.WINDY
13.OUT ON THE SIDE
14.LOVE SO FINE
15.SONG TO RAYMONDO
16.TAKIN' LIFE EASY

click here for more information

There is also a podcast link from Southern FM which tells the Charade story as told by Charade member David Cooper.

This first video on YouTube is them performing "Keep the Customer Satisfied" on Australian Bandstand. The line-up is noted as Linda Keene, Brian O'Toole and David Cooper.

This second video is "Hand-Me-Down Man" from the album

There are several other videos on YouTube including their covers of "Melting Pot", "California Soul" and "Carpet Man". Just search on "The Charade Live on Bandstand".

There are also several clips of Linda Keene and Brain O'Toole performing at the memorial concert for Greg Quill.